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5 Reasons Not to Miss the East End Street Fest

This Saturday, Oct. 20, Navigation Esplanade will be transformed into a huge, festive block party where visitors can enjoy live entertainment, a diverse mix of food and loads of fun as the East End Street Fest takes over the streets. The free festival, organized by the East End Improvement Corporation, celebrates the cultural heritage of the East End with a packed agenda of activities for locals and visitors of all ages. Here are five reasons you should save the date, head out to EaDo and spend your day enjoying the East End Street Fest.

1. The stellar musical line-up

“Whatever style of music you like, you’re going to find it,” says Lupe Olivarez, a long-time East End resident, musician, and the artistic and production director for the festival. It’s true. On two stages, the East End Street Fest will feature a diverse lineup of local and regional musicians. On the Bud Light stage, you’ll find a mix of indie pop, reggae, hip hop, 90s grunge rock and funk bands. The headliner, Houston-based The Glass, will treat visitors to a tribute act to South American rock band, Soda Estereo. The City of Houston stage will feature zydeco, blues, Latin jazz, and more. Don’t miss the headlining Grammy-award winners Flaco Jimenez, Augie Meyers and the Original Tex-Mex Band at 8:30 p.m. See the full musical lineup here.

2. Delicious food and drink

While the festival centers on showcasing the Latin American cultural heritage of the area, it will offer an eclectic group of food trucks and food vendors, selling everything from tacos to Mediterranean to Thai. This year’s festival also features a craft biergarten where festivalgoers can kick back and enjoy a cold beer.

3. 25,000-square-feet of fun for the kids

Your kids are guaranteed to have a blast at the East End Street Fest’s awesome kids’ zone. Let them burn off some energy at the bounce houses and rock wall, come close to farm animals at the petting zoo, dance to children’s music from the DJ booth and participate in the obstacle course.

4. Heritage dance performances

Head to the festival’s Heritage Festival for a varied lineup of dance and musical performances. The marching band and dance team from Milby High School and the East Wood Academy cheer squad will kick off the festivities with a lively parade, giving the festival a hometown feel. Then, catch acts by Itza’s Ballet Folklorico and Danza Azteca Taxcayolotl, as well as Andean dances by Caporales San Simon Bolivian Folkloric and Brazilian drums by Batala.

5. It’s free!

The festival, which used to be a ticketed event, is free once again this year, which means attending won’t break the bank. If you’re planning on going, please remember to register for free tickets here. And most importantly, have fun! “We want everyone from the East End to enjoy it, but, most importantly, we want everyone from the city to come out and enjoy the East End,” said Dan Joyce of the East End District.

The East End Street Fest takes place on Saturday, Oct. 20 from noon to 10 p.m. at 2800 Navigation Boulevard between Charles Street and Delano Street.